According to research, 36 percent of people have some level of fear about going to the dentist. Further, 12 percent of people have what could be deemed as extreme dental phobia. IV sedation dentistry is a form of treatment that involves sedating the patient so they do not know what is taking place during treatment. Here are a few signs that could indicate IV sedation treatment could be a good option.

You Have Avoided Dental Treatment Due to Anxiety

People who have dental treatment phobia are more likely to miss out on important treatments because of their fears. You may have avoided having a cavity filled because of your fear and maybe even prolonged getting a tooth pulled. If you have had these issues in the past, it is a good idea to explain the severity of your anxiety to the dentist so they can help you determine if IV sedation dentistry is a good choice for you.

You Have Had a Scary Dental Experience in the Past

Sometimes, all it takes is one bad experience at a dentist to cause excessive anxiety to emerge the next time you have to have treatment. A bad experience could have been something like:

Having a dentist who grew inpatient with you during treatment

Experiencing severe levels of pain during treatment, such as an extraction or root canal

Feeling like you couldn’t breathe because so much was taking place close to your face

You Have Experienced a Panic Attack at the Dentist

If your anxiety gets bad enough while in the dentist’s chair, it is a possibility that you could experience a full-blown anxiety or panic attack. These physical attacks brought about by severe anxiety can include symptoms like:

a pounding heart rate

feeling dizzy or confused

labored breathing or shortness of breath

fainting

If you have ever experienced a panic attack during dental treatment, it may be a good idea to talk to your dentist about IV sedation dentistry.

Being afraid of the dentist is not a phobia you should ever feel ashamed of, and the more your dentist knows about your problem the more they can help. If you would like to learn more about IV sedation dental treatments, reach out to us at the office of Chris Ward DDS for more information about our services.